“Would like to keep him at the club but not as a marquee player. If that means he’s Catalans-bound then so be it,” he wrote.

Paul Seddon wrote: “I just can’t see it. Sam is such a competitor and wants to win everything. He’s not going to do that at Catalans.”

Phil Collier wrote: “Can’t help but thinking if Tomkins really is pivotal to the team in Shaun Wane’s and the clubs opinion; why have they let his contract enter the final year when he’ll undoubtedly have several options on the table? Surely this should have been sorted last season?”

Tracey Buckley wrote: “Come on Wigan get a contract sorted out for him.”

Tomkins burst on the scene in 2008 and quickly became a fans’ favourite.

The 2012 Man of Steel moved to the NRL with New Zealand Warriors but returned home after two years, becoming Super League’s first ‘marquee’ player – meaning a portion of his lucrative deal does not count on the salary cap.

His last two seasons have been disrupted by injury but he has started this year in terrific form, and he opened the scoring in yesterday’s 44-6 win against Hull KR.